Quote:
Originally Posted by mldorn
Halfagain,
I have been reading these threads all weekend. Hubby and i are getting ready to start once i buy the alternatives. You are an inspiration!
In a post you had awhile back you said you had a restricted everyday. Have you continued with that same philosophy to goal? Also would you be able to tell me names/brand of the supplements you use and where you got them? Thank you and congratulations on your success.
Maura
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Hi Maura,
Welcome to you and your hubby!
Disclaimer - what works for me may be trouble for others (I hear others say this doesn't work for them) - However, since you asked, I will honestly tell you what I do. I'm still about 10 pounds from the top of normal range and indeed I'm calling it goal come this Friday regardless. I'm already ~15 lbs under my doctor's recommended stopping point. LOL never thought I'd hear the doctor telling ME to stop - this diet is amazing.
I do have one restricted almost every day. The ones I like are not high enough in protein, but many of my non-restricted are more than enough protein so looking at the day as a whole, I get plenty of protein. I tried at one point to tell myself I liked them too much to have them around, but I did a re-take on that idea and noticed I didn't have a problem eating only one and leaving the rest alone. I mean, sure I'd "like" to eat four, but I don't. I figure it's better for me in the long run to practice self control in this way. Having a DH and Son in the house, I will have temptation at hand. One of the biggest temptations I have is peanut butter. Some may say to stay clear of it, but one of these a day helps me. You have to decide what works for you.
http://www.nashuanutrition.com/store...ter-7-box.html The Weight Loss Systems Nutrition Bar - Chocolate is maybe just a good tasting.
The quest bar discussion (restricted or non-restricted). I don't treat the quest bars as restricted. I do have two a day sometimes (maybe 2 or 3 times a week depending if I'm traveling or if I'm craving chocolate). If my losses were much less I would reconsider this. My losses have stayed over 2.5 a week average (just looking at the past 10 weeks, so I'm not counting the initial starting loses I had on IP). The first time I tried one of these I thought "what's the fuss" I didn't really care for them, I had a stomach ache(maybe not from the bar - maybe so, with the stuff they use in them - I really don't know). I had a box of them, so I used them up and low and behold I do like them. I have not been using them the whole year I've been dieting. Maybe 7 weeks now. One thing my son keeps telling me is all my other powders and such were soy protein. So I like that the Quest bars are a different type of protein - not sure why, but it keeps my kiddo off my back
He's into weight lifting and all that health food stuff. I like the Syntrax Nectar
http://www.nashuanutrition.com/store...1-serving.html Cappuccino Latte (it's thin, not like the shakes, but I expect Latte's to be thin so it works out). So I've added that also as another non-soy based protein option.
The Simply bar
http://www.amazon.com/The-Simply-Bar...+lemon+coconut had the same sort of is it restricted discussion a while back. I think we decided the Simply bar is not restricted - I treated it like a restricted for awhile, I don't anymore. The lemon coconut ones are my favorite - in fact I really don't like the other flavors. They are sort of like a rice crispy bar, only not marshmallow flavor, they have a very light flavor. They are great for on the go. They are sort of expensive - but then again far cheaper than what I was eating pre-diet for lunch.
Some other thoughts - I do not consider this cheating the system, but I do not eat salty soups or pickles on Thursday as my weigh in is on Friday morning. I don't avoid taking my normal salts but the extra salty stuff I keep away from. Something for me I notice is if I stick with fish and chicken a lot, I seem to get a loss after I eat a sirloin steak. Not sure why but I think the added fat now and then just helps. I have heard this from several of us that switching around the type of protein helps. I know it does for me. Drinking all the water helps me probably the most. It's hard to do for me. I have never been a big fluid drinker, and water just is a chore for me. Seeing how my loses picked up when I got on board with drinking it made me a believer. I put a dash of lemon juice in my water most days, for flavor and I think it does help with loses but that may just be my imagination.
Supplements, I take the "hair, skin, and nails" stuff from Costco (Kirkland brand) it has biotin in it, Mega Red Krill oil from Costco, I was taking Centrum Silver but ran out. I'm not home the rest of this week to give you the new vitamin, most of this diet I've been on the Centrum ones. I ordered from the Protein store to get the name brand Ideal Protein potassium and magnesium supplements but they don't sell them anymore I understand. I ordered several bottles at a time, so once I run out I'm not sure what I'll do on those. I'm close to out now but I'll be into maintenance soon and will probably stop taking those - depending on my diet. I also take a D vitamin (Costco again).
My hair has thinned with this diet, but I'm willing to endure that and the loose skin for this short term. I try and eat natural non-heated saur kraut once a week, use Bragg apple cider vinegar (unfiltered) and just try and get in some other probiotics when I can. I guess I should have just taken supplements but just didn't get around to buying any. I think they do help the big C.
Anyway sorry this was so long. I did feel weak a few weeks into this diet, and mentally foggy. I don't know the science behind this but this post made sense to me - or at least I could understand that others felt this way. It made me feel better and I stuck it out because I knew I was not alone. I'll give you the link but again it's just something I found and found useful to encourage me to keep on.
http://josepharcita.blogspot.com/201...o-ketosis.html
Thanks so much for the kind words. I don't feel I'm an expert by any means, but I have had a lot of success. I sort of fell into alternatives, and I don't regret it at all. Best wishes!
Barb
to friends and welcome to the new IPers. 
